Venezuela: Chavez's media keeps distorting his visit to London

By Aleksander Boyd

London 06.05.06 | One of the propaganda organs of Hugo Chavez, Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias (ABN), keeps distorting his visit to London. In the latest dispatch ABN reports the following "Cámara de los Comunes de Reino Unido rendirá homenaje a presidente Chávez," (House of Commons to pay homage to president Chavez). This irresponsible and untrue piece of reporting is being echoed in other media, given the official character of ABN. However none of the editors of other media seem intent enough in picking up the phone, call the office of public information of the House of Commons to check whether or not there's any true to the claim to, thus, demonstrate once and for all the utter unreliability and lack of accuracy of Chavez's media.

As a litmus test I always take news coming from chavista news sources with a bit of salt. Not long ago I uncovered that the alleged honorary degree that Oxford University was to confer upon Hugo Chavez was nothing but a lie peddled by his Ambassador to the UK Alfredo Toro Hardy. All it took was a couple of phone calls and few emails. I then was informed that ABN had reported that Chavez was to be received with honours in the House of Lords, which is also false.

Today ABN takes another shot at it and, in yet another crass attempt to make the boss look good and important prior to departure, informs that the House of Commons is to pay homage to president Chavez. I know for a fact that many a comrade from the international brigade of Chavez's apologists read this site regularly. As a matter of fact his lobbyist at the Greater London Authority visit almost on a daily basis. Well here's a challenge for them: could you please produce verifiable evidence that the House of Lords or indeed the Commons have scheduled official events to entertain Hugo Chavez?